What Scoliosis Feels Like
You might be surprised to learn that scoliosis is not particularly painful. The pain will also depend on scoliosis‘ severity and the type, and the patient’s age. Pain is not typically a symptom for children and adolescents, and that’s one of the things that makes it very difficult to diagnose.
Adults are far more likely to experience pain associated with scoliosis. Fortunately, there are some treatment options available that can reduce or eliminate that discomfort. The most common form of scoliosis is adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, so that is the form that we will address first in the information provided below.
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis – why isn’t there any pain?
If you ask an adolescent what scoliosis feels like, they might tell you that they don’t feel anything at all. Around 80% of all known cases of scoliosis are of this type, and the remaining 20% are divided between congenital, degenerative, and traumatic scoliosis. The main point about adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is that victims have yet to reach skeletal maturity, and the younger a victim is, the more growth they have yet to experience.
It is unknown what causes this condition, but that growth triggers its ongoing progress. Adolescent victims don’t feel any pain because their spines are still lengthening due to growth.
Once this lengthening motion stops, i.e. in adulthood, the compressive forces start to accumulate and pain is the result. In most adolescents, scoliosis causes no pain, so it can be hard to diagnose and manage. However, scoliosis must be diagnosed early because that’s when treatment programs are the most effective.
When pain becomes a factor in scoliosis
As mentioned previously, when the spine ceases to grow, the effects of compression begin. That’s when scoliosis pain appears. Despite the absence of pain, the best time to begin treatment is during adolescence to improve the underlying condition and avoid symptoms that may follow. An active approach to treating scoliosis usually involves chiropractic care, rehabilitation, therapy, and corrective bracing.
Every case will be very different. That means every treatment plan must be different. So a scoliosis victim will need to work with their doctor to develop an appropriate treatment program. We take X-rays periodically to determine the impact of any treatment. We alter the treatment approaches when needed, and then monitor the new strategies.
The goals of any good treatment program include the following:
- reduction of the spinal curvature
- maintaining positive results during and after treatment
- educate patients about their condition and provide access to resources
- incorporate at-home exercises and stretches to reinforce professional treatment.
If you think you may have scoliosis call us @ (608) 402-6005 or fill out our online form for a free exam and consultation for new patients. We can diagnose and treat your scoliosis with non-invasive chiropractic care.
